This piece is the fifth and final installment of a five-part series on knowledge management practices in public health titled, “The Missing Pieces: How Better Knowledge Management Practices Can Complete the Public Health Puzzle.”

Making the case for knowledge management is easy. Thus far, this series has demonstrated how good knowledge management practices can help public health agencies save lives and improve health, gain some “internal wins” by saving time and resources, and retain expertise and institutional wisdom. The case is clear, and the research indicates that having a culture that promotes knowledge management is a win-win. What are we waiting for, then?

Unfortunately, the path from concept to implementation is rarely smooth. While most public health agencies could benefit greatly from a sound knowledge management system, and many managers are open to improving knowledge management practices within their departments, there are barriers to building an institutional culture that truly embraces knowledge management as a benefit to its work.

One such barrier is that public health programs operate in established “spheres of influence.”Despite years of public health research into why this compartmentalization exists, and efforts to build bridges between established “silos,” many public health organizations have a long history of operating independently in long-established program areas. Rather than encouraging knowledge sharing, they can become “territorial” of what they perceive to be their areas of influence. This leads to duplication of work, as well as wasted funds and efforts.

This is a problem domestically as well as internationally; for example, there are myriad organizations involved in various global health projects, each with its own knowledge management strategies. Organizations with different knowledge management practices may find it challenging to work together to share information. However, the alternative – not having access to critical information – is worse.

The process of building an institutional culture that truly embraces electronic records and knowledge management as a cornerstone of operational workflows can be time-consuming and sometimes challenging. The operationalization of best practices in electronic records and knowledge management would make public health programs more effective, increase the capacity and confidence of the public health workforce, and help public health organizations fulfill their mandates more effectively and efficiently. “A Closer Look at Current Barriers to Improving Knowledge Management Practices in Public Health and Potential Solutions” discusses in greater detail some of the individual hurdles that organizations face to building a knowledge management culture, as well as specific strategies to overcome them.

Written by: Jessica Keralis and Tina Baker
Image by: stillfx at Depositphotos.com